Local Engineers Urged to Take Lead in Bolstering Professionals

Minister of Industry, Investment & Commerce, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill, is charging local engineers to lead the way in bolstering the cohort of professionals across the island.

He made the call while addressing the opening of the Jamaica Institution of Engineers (JIE) Engineers’ Week Conference & Expo at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Monday (September 16).

Minister Hill emphasised the importance of engineering in modern infrastructure development and the built environment.

“It creates linkages that will continue to drive economic growth, enhance the country’s technical skills, facilitate exports and improve the standard of living for many Jamaicans,” he said.

He noted the need for a robust engineering workforce that will position Jamaica as a regional economic leader.

“If we’re going to get to the place where we want to be the leading economy in the Caribbean and in Latin America… we’re going to need a lot more engineers,” he asserted.

“We’re all aware of the commitment of Prime Minister Holness to the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects; he’s going to spend a lot more money on STEM, and we have to if we’re going to get to 3,000 registered engineers, which is what we want,” he added.

President of the JIE, Oneil Josephs, echoed Minister Hill’s sentiments, emphasising the pressing need to increase the output of engineering graduates to align with global standards.

“Compared to Europe, Germany and many other developed countries across the world, we would need to be producing roughly 9000 graduates per year and we’re currently producing about 450,” he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Chairperson of the Professional Engineering Registration Board (PERB), Glaister Ricketts, spoke about the legal requirements surrounding the engineering practice in Jamaica, emphasising the importance of proper registration.

“It is illegal to carry on the practice of engineering in Jamaica unless you are a registered engineer. Our commitment to achieving international recognition remains steadfast,” he said.

The JIE Engineers’ Week Conference & Expo serves as a platform to catalyse collaboration among stakeholders to drive innovation, capacity-building, and regulatory compliance within the engineering sector, ultimately advancing Jamaica’s engineering landscape on a global scale.

Source: JIS